Transportable floating birling device with ladder mount

ABSTRACT

A birling device is disclosed as including a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;U&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; shaped control bar supporting a cylindrical buoyant member in a manner to permit the free rotation of the member. The cylindrical member is rotationally mounted to the arms of the control bar. A ladder is carried by at least one arm of the control bar. The diameter of the cylindrical member is substantially greater than the width of an arm of the control bar and the ladder so that when out of the water, the cylindrical member provides a rolling surface unobstructed by projecting surfaces of the birling device.

v United States Patent Beaton Oct. 31, 1972 [54] TRANSPORTABLE FLOATING BIRLING DEVICE WITH LADDER MOUNT [72] Inventor: Joseph R. Benton, Hillside Terrace,

[52] US. Cl. ..272/1 B [51] Int. Cl. ..A63b 23/06 [58] Field of Search .272]! B, 58, 60, 69

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,586,222 5/1926 Sellner ..272/1 B 1,589,] 31 6/1926 Eakin ..272/60 1,718,637 6/1929 De Pento ..272/l B 1,761,058 6/1930 Trenholm ..272/l B 2,186,606 1/ 1940 Hutchinson ..272/1 B 3,379,437 4/1968 Warner ..272/l B FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 5,975 5/1908 Great Britain ..272/60 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer Attorney--William Kaufman et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A birling device is disclosed as including a U" shaped control bar supporting a cylindrical buoyant member in a manner to permit the free rotation of the member. The cylindrical member is rotationally mounted to the arms of the control bar. A ladder is carried by at least one arm of the control bar. The diameter of the cylindrical member is substantially greater than the width of an arm of the control bar and the ladder so that when out of the water, the cylindrical member provides a rolling surface unobstructed by projecting surfaces of the birling device.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures TRANSPORTABLE FLOATING BIRLING DEVICE WITH LADDER MOUNT This invention relates generally to amusement and exercising devices in the field of aquatic sports, and more particularly to a birling device which is free to rotate about its axis.

The water sport known as birling, originally, simply involved two participants and a log. Various improvements have been proposed in order to accommodate the game to the skill of the average person. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,925 proposes restraining the rotatable. float against translational movement while permitting axial rotation, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,175,197 proposes leaving the rotatable'float free to undergo translational motion while restraining the axial rotation. U.SL Pat. No. 2,186,606 discloses a system for anchoring a rotatable float. The use of stabilizing floats or paddles which extend radially of the rotatable member, in a wing like manner, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,761,058; 2,931,648 and 3,223,411.

Notwithstanding the above-described improvements, birling devices have not been commonly employed at beaches or in pools.

Various problems which are encountered with the prior art devices undoubtedly have contributed to the failure of birling to achieve its potential level of popularity. It is noted that the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,925 is limited to use in pools and provides no mechanism to assist the user in mounting the freely rotatable float.

Prior systems which employ wing-like floats are relatively easier to mount than those prior devices which do not employ such floatation mechanisms, but cannot easily be removed from the water and moved to another location for use or storage. Typically, such devices must be disassembled before they can be conveniently moved.

The device of U.S. Pat. No. 2,186,606 provides an anchoringdevice which can readily adapt to varying water levels, but offers no mechanism to assist the user in mounting the freely rotatable float.

It has now been found that the above-described problems can be overcome by providing a birling device with a stabilizing mechanism.

In accordance with the present invention, an amusement device, of the birling, or log rolling type is provided which comprises a closed end cylindrical floatation member and a stabilizing member. The stabilizing member has a pair of arms, each of which are rotationally connected proximate one end thereof, to a closed end of the cylindrical floatation member. A transverse member connects the opposed end of one of the arms to the corresponding end of the other arm to form a U shaped structure. At least one ,ladder is fixed to one of said arms. The cylindrical floatation member has a diameter substantially greater than the width of the ladder and substantially greater than the width of each of the arms, so that the device can be readily moved on land by rolling the cylindrical floatation member.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description of the invention, particularly when read in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 1

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a birling device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the device of FIG. 1, and shows a user mounting the rotational member; and,

FIG. 3 is an end view of the device of FIG. 1, showing the device on land.

The amusement device is employed in water sports of the type commonly referred to as birling or log rolling. The birling device, indicated generally as '10, employs a buoyant cylindrical floatation member 12. The floatation member 12, is conveniently a hollow, water-tight drum and preferably serves'as the sole floatation means for the device 10. If desired, however,

a solid floatable cylinder can be employed as, for example, a structurally rigid foamed cylinder. A stabilizer member, shown generally as 14, supports the floatation member and permits the free rotation thereof. The stabilizer 14 comprises a transverse member 15 having upstanding arms 16 and 16' at the opposed ends thereof. The floatation member is rotatably secured to the arms of the stabilizer by rotational mounting means such as pins and bushings or bearings and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rotational mounting mechanism can include a bushing 20 fixed to each end of the cylindrical member 12. A pin 22 is secured near the end of each one of the two upright arms 16 and 16' of the U shaped stabilizer member 14. If desired, however, the cylindrical member can be supported on a shaft which could be suitably journaled for rotation in bushings or bearings set in the arms 16 and 16'. At least one end of the device is provided with a ladder 17 carried by an arm 16 and/or 16 of the stabilizer member 14. Mounting of the freely rotating cylindrical member 12, has heretofore been found very difficult for the experienced as well as the inexperienced user. The ladder is provided in order to facilitate the mounting operation.

The rungs 18, of the ladder l7, lie in a plane parallel I to the planes of the ends 19 and 21, of the cylindrical member 12. This enables the user to have his body most advantageously positioned for climbing the ladder l7, and mounting the cylinder 12.

As the user ascends the ladder 17 which extends at least about 2-3 feet under water and preferably more, his center of gravity becomes increasingly higher than the pivot point formed by the bushing 20 and the pin 22 and the tendency for the ladder to tip over will increase. The stabilizer 14, however, serves as a counterweight, off-setting the rotational forces exerted on the ladder by the users body, when the user is above the center of rotation or pivot point 22. It is thus essential that the stabilizer 14, and in particular, the transverse section 15 thereof be of sufficient weight, length and breadth to give the required counter-rotational effects. The transverse member can be provided with a ringtype of connecting member 30. The connecting member can be a U shaped element welded at its ends to the transverse member 15, or an eye-bolt" which is bolted to the transverse member. The connecting member 30, facilitates the attachment of an anchoring rope 34 (partially shown in FIG. 1) as well as the attachment of a tow rope 32 (as shown in FIG. 3) which is used when the birling device is being moved. Similar attachment members 31, can be provided on the arms so that the birling device 10 can be secured against transverse movement, if desired.

it is evident from FIG. 3, that the amusement device 10 can be readily moved on land by rolling the cylindrical member 12. The width of the ladder 17 is substantially less than the diameter of the cylinder 12 and the device 10 is free of any protuberances which could interfere with its ease of movement.

It is evident from the foregoing that the weight and dimensions of the stabilizer can easily be evaluated in order to provide optimum stabilization of the birling device 10.

With regard to the weight factor, it is noted that the birling device 10 can be dimensioned for use by children and could have a rated buoyancy capacity far less than required by a birling device to be used by adults. The critical factor is that the stabilizer 14 in combination with the ladders and stabilizer arms have a counter-rotational effect sufficient to significantly counter-balance the maximum permissible weight of a user as determined from the buoyancy capability of the cylindrical floatation member 12. The use of a very heavy stabilizer would, of course, increase the stabilizing effect while providing air pockets in a hollow stabilizer would decrease the stabilizing effect. It should be further noted, that increasing the length of the stabilizer arms 16, decreases the weight requirement of the stabilizer 14.

One embodiment of the present invention suitable for use in rivers, lakes and the like by many people simultaneously can be prepared by rotatably mounting a 2,000 gallon steel drum having a diameter of about 5 feet and a length of about feet to a U shaped stabilizer having a steel transverse member about 11 to 12 feet long with opposed upright steel arms, each having a length of about 5 15 feet. Steel ladders, 10 to 12 feet in length, are mounted on each upright arm. When placed in water, the drum has a displacement of about 6 inches causing the bottom of the ladders to be about 3 feet under water. Accordingly, the ladders are in good position to be conveniently mounted by a user.

Thus, the birling device of the present invention provides a self-contained amusement device which is portable, self-floating, stable, easy to mount and can be easily anchored in place or moved from place to place. MOreover, the birling device of the present invention can be easily varied in size to render it useful in pools as well as in rivers, lakes, ponds and the like.

What is claimed is:

l. A birling device comprising a closed end cylindrical floatation member and a stabilizing member adapted to support said floatation member and permit free rotation thereof, said cylindrical floatation member constituting the principal means enabling the birling device to float in water, said stabilizing member comprising a transverse member having an upstanding arm at each opposed end thereof, each arm being rotationally connected to a closed end of said cylindrical floatation member proximate that end of each arm opposite the end thereof in contact with the transverse member, at least one of said arms having a ladder affixed thereto, said cylindrical floatation member having a diameter substantially greater than the width of said ladder.

2. The structure of claim 1, further comprising connecting means centrally positioned on said transverse member, for attaching an anchoring device to said amusement device. I

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said transverse member is of sufficient weight and is spaced from the axis of said cylindrical floatation member by a distance sufficient to offset the weight of the user.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein said transverse member has an effective weight in water, at least equal to the weight of a user for which the cylindrical floatation member is designed.

5. The structure of claim 1, further comprising a bushing axially positioned on each end of said cylindrical floatation member and a pin member fixed to each of said arms and positioned in a corresponding bushing for rotationally connecting said cylindrical floatation member to said arms.

6. A birling device comprising: an elongated, cylindrical floatation member and a U shaped stabilizing member; said cylindrical floatation member constituting the principal means enabling the birling device to float in water;

mounting means fixed to each end of said cylindrical member for mounting said cylindrical member for rotation about its axis, on said stabilizing member;

at least one ladder carried by said stabilizing member, the rungs of said ladder lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the ends of said cylindrical floatation member;

said cylindrical floatation member being free of protuberances extending normal to the plane of said stabilizing member, and said ladder having a width substantially less than the diameter of said cylindrical floatation member.

7. The structure of claim 6, further comprising at least one connecting means positioned on said stabilizing means, for attaching an anchoring device tosaid 

1. A birling device comprising a closed end cylindrical floatation member and a stabilizing member adapted to support said floatation member and permit free rotation thereof, said cylindrical floatation member constituting the principal means enabling the birling device to float in water, said stabilizing member comprising a transverse member having an upstanding arm at each opposed end thereof, each arm being rotationally connected to a closed end of said cylindrical floatation member proximate that end of each arm opposite the end thereof in contact with the transverse member, at least one of said arms having a ladder affixed thereto, said cylindrical floatation member having a diameter substantially greater than the width of said ladder.
 2. The structure of claim 1, further comprising connecting means centrally positioned on said transverse member, for attaching an anchoring device to said amusement device.
 3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said transverse member is of sufficient weight and is spaced from the axis of said cylindrical floatation member by a distance sufficient to offset the weight of the user.
 4. The structure of claim 1, wherein said transverse member has an effective weight in water, at least equal to the weight of a user for which the cylindrical floatation member is designed.
 5. The structure of claim 1, further comprising a bushing axially positioned on each end of said cylindrical floatation member and a pin member fixed to each of said arms and positioned in a corresponding bushing for rotationally connecting said cylindrical floatation member to said arms.
 6. A birling device comprising: an elongated, cylindrical floatatioN member and a ''''U'''' shaped stabilizing member; said cylindrical floatation member constituting the principal means enabling the birling device to float in water; mounting means fixed to each end of said cylindrical member for mounting said cylindrical member for rotation about its axis, on said stabilizing member; at least one ladder carried by said stabilizing member, the rungs of said ladder lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the ends of said cylindrical floatation member; said cylindrical floatation member being free of protuberances extending normal to the plane of said stabilizing member, and said ladder having a width substantially less than the diameter of said cylindrical floatation member.
 7. The structure of claim 6, further comprising at least one connecting means positioned on said stabilizing means, for attaching an anchoring device to said device.
 8. The structure of claim 6 comprising two ladders, each of said ladders being carried respectively by an upright arm of said ''''U'''' shaped stabilizer member. 